Filling carrier transferring mechanism



Feb. 29, 1944, w. HAMILTON 2, 4

FILLING CARRIER TRANSFERRING MECHANISM Filed April 9, 1943 INVENTQR. WALLACE HAMILTON ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 29, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT -OF FI C'E L I 2.34235? I I I 1 FILLING CARRIER TnANsFEnRING VMECHANYISM Wallace Hamilton, Hopedale, Mass-., assignor'to Draper Corporation, Ho

ration of Maine pedale Mass 21- corpo- Application April 9, 1943, Serial No. 482,419

'5 Claims; j (01. Isa- 243 The present invention relates to filling replenishinglooms and, as illustrated herein, relates more particularly to means for controlling the operation of mechanismrfor transferring successive filling carriersto a shuttle during operation of;the-loom. .1. v

In automatic looms of the. type referred to above,-; the filling carriers are transferred from the holder or hopper to the: shuttle without inten'upting the operationof the, loom. I The transfer operation is performed 'asthe lay approaches front centerand takes place in a. very short periodoftime. formed; suddenly and almost instantaneously, necessarily entails considerable strain andshock, particularly in stopping the transfer mechanism at; theend of its transferringmovement. It has not been practical to provide a solid stop to limit movement of the transfer mechanism because: of the high speed of the parts. Stopping of the transfer mechanism has been effected, by the use of a torsion spring which operates also to return the transfer mechanism to its initial position and also operates to rotate the bobbin holding mechanism to present another, bobbin or filling carrier into transfer position. Avery heavy spring has been necessary in order to stop the mechanism at a. predetermined desired point. Sucha heavy spring however, is objectionable since itcauses undue wear onthe parts. 1',

t In, accordance; with this object, one-feature of the invention resides in spring means interposed between the transferrer and a part of the loom to resist movement of the transferrer only during the latter portion of its transferring movement. As illustrated, the stop member comprises a holder fixed to the transferrer arm and carrying a spring which is arranged to engage a stop fixed to a stationary part of the loom. This construction permits a lighter torsion spring to be used to return the transferrer to its initial position and Such rapid operatiomwhich is per I as a result wear on the transferrer parts is substantially reduced.

With the above and other objects and features in view, the invention will now be described with particular reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

The loom frame Ill is'oi usual construction and is provided with a hopper stand, I 2 on which is mounted a rotatable hopper of which only the butt end disk- [4 is shown. The disk I4. is provided with the usualbobbin seats l6 and a ratchet l8 isfixed to the disk 14 in. the'usual manner. The ratchet is rotated step-by-step to move successive filling carriers 20 into transferring position..

The transferrer 12 is of usual construction and is supported for rocking movement on a stud 24 fixed to the hopper stand l 2-. An arm 25 projects downwardly from thehub 28 of the transferrer li and is pivotally connected at its lower end to a latch finger 30,. the-end 32 of which is arranged upon transfer or replenishment of filling,- to be raised into the path of movement of a hunter carriedby the lay 35. A feed pawl 38 of usual construction is carried by the transferrer on a pin 40- and operated to-rota-te the butt end disk l4 when the transferrer 22 is returned to its initial or inoperative positionunder the influence oi'the usual torsionspring 4'2, When afilling carrier 20 is. in transferring position and substantial exhaustion of the filling on acarrier inthe'shuttle 4 1 has been indicated. by suitable feeling mechanism,.; the bunter 34 will engage the latch finger 30 as the lay moves into its forward position. Thus the depending arm 26. will beswung rapidly in a. clockwise direction and. causes the transferrer 22 to be swung rapidly' downwardly to. move afilling carrier 2i! out of afseat. I 6 in' the disk I4 anddowninto engagement with the empty or substantially empty filling carrier 20, and forcing said last mentioned filling carrier out of the shuttle. As the lay begins its rearward movement, the transferrer begins to move upwardly under the influence of the spring 42. The feed pawl 38 moves with the transferrer and rotates the disk I4 in a direction to move the next filling carrier 20 into transfer ring position.

The parts described above are of usual construction and operate at the high speeds usual in modern high speed looms. The transferring operation takes place during a very short period of time and without stopping the loom. There is considerable lost motion between the various parts of the transferring mechanism and hence it is difiicult to prevent overthrow of the transferrer. Such overthrow is prevented to a substantial extent by the spring 42 which also acts to return the transferrer to its initial position. However, when the parts become worn, the action of the spring 42 is not sufficient to prevent overthrow and, consequently, the worn parts must be replaced.

Downward movement of the transferrer 22 is limited in the present construction by a coiled spring 46 which is secured to the transferrer 22 and which engages a plate 48 fixed to the hopper stand l2 by suitable rivets 50. The spring 46 is mounted in a member 52 having a cup-shaped portion 54 in which the spring 46 is secured by a rivet 56. The member 52 is provided with a vertically extending portion 58 which is seated against the side of the transferrer 22 and is provided with a threaded opening for receiving a. cap screw 60 which in turn passes through an opening in the transferrer arm 22. The cap screw 60 is tightened and clamps the member 52 in position on the transferrer.

When the transferrer 22 approaches the lowermost limit of its transferring movement, the coiled spring 46 will engage the abutment plate 48 and be compressed. The compression of the spring 46 is limited by the cup-shaped portion 54, the lower surface of which will engage the plate 48 to stop th movement of the transferrer arm 22. The spring 46, consequently, acts as a resilient cushion and slows down the transferrer to such an extent that there is no danger of breakage of parts when the solid cup-shaped portion 52 contacts the step or abutment plate 48. When the lay begins its rearward movement, the tension on the spring 46 is sufficient to imitate the return movement of the transferrer arm 22 and the feed pawl 38. As a result, the tension of the spring 42 can be substantially reduced and consequently wear on the feed pawl and transferrer parts will be substantially reduced.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a filling replenishing loom, a holder for a series of filling carriers, a transferrer movable to transfer successive filling carriers from said holder, a supporting member fixed to the transferrer, a stationary stop member, and a spiral spring fixed to said supporting member and arranged to engage said stationary stop when the transferrer approaches the end of its transferring movements.

2. In a filling replenishing loom, a holder for a series of filling carriers, a. transferrer mounted for movement to transfer successive filling carriers from said holder, a stationary stop member fixed to the loom, a support fixed to the transferrer and having a spring receiving recess therein, and a coiled spring fixed in said recess and having an end portion projecting below said support and arranged to be compressed by engagement with said stop when the transferrer approaches the end of its movement to limit movement of the transferrer.

3. In a filling replenishing loom, a holder for a series of filling carriers, a transferrer mounted for movement to transfer successive filling carriers from said holder, a stop member fixed to the m, a support fixed to the transferrer and having an open bottomed recess, and a spring riveted tosaid recess and having an end portion projecting below said recess and arranged to be compressed by engagement with said stop when the transferrer approaches the limit of its movement, said spring member being compressed to permit said support to engage said stop positively to limit the transferring movement of the transferrer.

4. In a filling replenishing loom, a holder for a series of filling carriers, a transferrer mounted for movement to transfer successive filling carriers from said holder, a stop secured to the loom, a support secured in fixed position on said transferrer, and a spiral spring having one end portion secured to said holder and projecting below said support a distance sufiicient to engage said stop when the transferrer approaches the limit of its transferring movement, said spring being compressed sufliciently during the remainder of said transferring movement to permit said stop to engage said support positively to stop the transferrer.

5. In a filling replenishing loom, a rotatable holder for a series of filling carriers, a transferrer mounted for movement to transfer successive filling carriers from said holder, a stop secured to the loom close to one side of the path of movement of the transferrer, a support having a cupshaped recess mounted on the side of the transferrer above said stop, and a spiral spring having its upper end secured to the closed end of said recess and having its other end projecting below said recess a distance sufilcient to engage said stop when the transferrer approaches the limit of its transferring movement, said spring being compressed and received entirely within said recess to permit said spring support to engage said stop to positively limit the movement of the transferrer.

WALLACE HAMILTON. 

